Claystone - insulation value?

[Microkatten]

On the inside then? 🤔

The inside has not yet been renovated, and today consists of a mix of tree fiberboard, plasterboard, and plaster. The intention is to clay plaster the inside into condition. There are various options, but the heating system and electricity are also affected, so it requires an overall approach.

As @Oldboy points out, clay is a heavy and slow material with good properties for soundproofing, moisture balancing, etc. Apart from the fact that clay's theoretical u-value is debatable in a specific house, you cannot compare a stud wall with mineral wool and a wall of clay based only on the u-value.

How do you know that the walls of the house are clay bricks? In the past, people used the material that was locally available, were really modern and reused materials, and it often became a mix, also depending on building, extending, patching, and repairing during different time periods. For example, our walls did not always look as we had assumed before they were opened up.

 

[13th Marine]

A few lines from the study.

Demir (2008) showed that sawdust, tobacco residues, and grass can be used to enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of adobe bricks. The insulation capacity of the brick increases with increasing porosity of the clay body. Additions of organic residues were found to be effective for pore formation in the clay body and the clay retained acceptable mechanical properties.

Fiber-reinforced adobe houses result in a temperature that is 56.3% cooler than concrete brick houses in the summer and 41.5% warmer in the winter.

In warm countries, this is beneficial for "poor people" & has many good properties.
But in the Nordic region, the "problems" & climate are completely different.

I read further down:

The clay/sand soil representing major building soils
in Gashua, Yobe State was selected. The soil samples
were collected horizontally from the top layer (5 to 15
cm) of soil profile located at Katuzu and Sabon gari in
Gashua, Nigeria.

 

[Microkatten]

Here is an example of a wall consisting of mixed clay stone and burnt brick:

https://www.byggahus.se/forum/threads/varannan-tegelsten-och-lersten-varfor.486972/

 

[13th Marine]

The interior has not yet been renovated and currently consists of a mix of treetex, plasterboard, and plaster. The plan is to clay plaster the interior in good condition. There are different options, but the heating system and electricity are also affected, so it requires an overall consideration.

What about the exterior?

As @Oldboy mentioned, clay is a heavy and slow material with good properties for sound insulation, moisture balancing, etc. Besides, the theoretical u-value of clay is debatable in a specific house, so you can't only compare a stud wall with glass wool and a wall of clay based on u-value.

How do you know the walls in the house are made of claystone? In the past, people used the material available locally and were quite modern in reusing materials, which often resulted in a mix, also depending on construction, expansion, patching, and repairing during different periods. For example, our walls didn't always look like we expected before they were opened up.

Sure, I can't be completely certain, but the farm has been in the family's possession since 1902, and my father-in-law has not suggested it would be anything else in the current building.
The first farm building from 1885 is partly constructed of claystone, with the weather-exposed west and south sides in burnt brick, while the second farm building from 1902 is entirely made of brick.
Here is a depiction from 1913:


In the places where the wall is visible, I've only seen claystone:

 

[Microkatten]

So the exterior then?

The exterior is vertical one-inch cladding boards with varying widths.

Sure, I can't be absolutely certain, but the farm has been in the family's ownership since 1902

It sounds and looks exciting!

 

[13th Marine]

The exterior is vertical one-inch batten boards with varying widths.

Ah, I misunderstood and read "hempcrete," but now see it only says hemp.
So, with furring on the outside with hemp insulation and then paneling?

It sounds and looks exciting!

It's going to be very exciting, but we've also concluded that we're crazy for taking this on 😅

 

[jawen]

depiction from 1913

Looks fantastic!

My family on my father's side are "dalmasar" from an area between Sälen & Särna.
Same large farms but all in timber.

My "feeling" is that your buildings contain "all the stone they could get their hands on," and that it is mainly different pieces of brick that "created the load-bearing capacity." Then "they bake these pieces" with the clay/lime/binder that was available.

 

[Microkatten]

So regulated on the outside with hemp insulation and then paneling?

Yep! We have pictures of the original appearance and are trying to recreate it as best as we can.

It will be very exciting, but we have also concluded that we are stupid for taking this on 😅

You probably have to be a bit crazy and geek out if it's going to turn out well, but it's very exciting and fun too! 🤓

 

[13th Marine]

Looks fantastic!

A slightly different look today though:
It was rebuilt in 1937, presumably the frontispiece and the asbestos roof were added then.

My family on my father's side are dalmasar from an area between Sälen & Särna.
Same large farms but all in timber.

My "feeling" is that your buildings contain "precis all sten dom fick tag i", and that it is mainly different pieces of brick that "created the load-bearing capacity". Then they "bake these pieces in" with the clay/ lime/ binder that was available.

There's a risk, but that's not quite the feeling I've gotten when I've been there, but I'll see when I get into it.
I've looked at other farms for sale, and some are built of flint instead.

 

[13th Marine]

Yep! We have pictures of the original appearance and are trying to recreate it as best as we can.

Fun! A bit like our painting.
I like how it looked in 1913, while the better half wants it how it's always been, yellow with a frontispiece that in my eyes doesn't quite fit.

One probably has to be a bit crazy and nerd out for it to turn out well, but it's very exciting and fun too! 🤓

I can easily get nostalgic and nerd out about the history, thought it was really fun when my mother-in-law showed the farm in an old "farm book."
At the same time, in the 60s, they decided it wasn't worth putting all the energy into the house, and built a new one instead, roughly where the painting "is taken."
So the farmyard no longer has this view of the sea:

(Not that it would have remained anyway, there's a residential area in the way nowadays)

At the same time, I have to be realistic, how much will be left of the house when we're done, will it be worth the effort?

 

[jawen]

Have been looking at other farms for sale, and some are instead built of flint.

Wow!

Read there's a flint house in Klagshamn, but otherwise old houses/farms in Sussex and Norfolk.
The house you are considering seems very solidly built & even the roof ridges still look straight.
The cement roof can probably be dismantled in whole "pieces," which simplifies handling.

2-family building with associated stables & barns.
I think the whole farm seems to have "very good" potential 👌

 

[Microkatten]

I like how it looked in 1913, while the better half wants it how it's always been, yellow with a pediment that, in my eyes, doesn't quite fit in.

It can be a dilemma which historical traces you want to keep or remove. I don't dare say what I think about your pediment, because then I might get it from one of you...😉

At the same time, I have to be realistic, how much will remain of the house when we're finished, will it be worth the work?

Another dilemma, what should be prioritized, and how much should it cost... I believe the ambition should be high, but the pace slow, that way you have time to ponder the state of things for a few years! Or build new, but that's not free either.

 

[13th Marine]

Oh dang!

Read that there is some flintahus in Klagshamn, but otherwise old houses/farms Sussex and Norfolk.
The house you are considering seems very solidly built & even the roof ridges still look straight.
The thatched roof can probably be dismantled in whole "pieces," which simplifies the handling.

I have no idea how common it is, but I have noticed it. They are presumably older buildings.

2-family building with accompanying stable & barns.
I think the whole farm seems to have "very good" conditions 👌

I don't think it was a two-family house, even though it has two apartments today.
Based on the 1937 division, the right door was the kitchen entrance, while the left was the main entrance.
To the right of the right door is only used as storage today, but was a washhouse and has a baking oven, potato cellar, and coke storage.

As a true optimist, I also think it has potential =)

EDIT: It can be added that there's something about the roof trusses between the chimney and the "repair" to the right.

 

[13th Marine]

It can be a dilemma which growth rings you want to save or remove. I don't dare to say what I think about your frontespis, because then I'll get flack from one of you...😉

😅
I don't think any of us are particularly sensitive about that.
However, it has an advantage, it gives you a bit more space, because it's

Another dilemma, what should be prioritized, and how much should it cost... I think the ambition should be high, but the pace slow, then you have time to ponder over the state of things for a few years! Or build new, but that's not free either.

If we choose to renovate, I have a plan on how we can do it, there's space so we can live without cramming too much and simultaneously renovate a large section at a time, the trickiest part will be when it's time to tackle the middle section.
After all, I have been pondering this for a year already 😅

We have the advantage of getting this as an advance on inheritance, and we have a not too heavily mortgaged house to sell.
But yes, building new will likely be more expensive, perhaps mainly because we would need to hire more people.

 

[jawen]

At the same time, I have to be realistic, how much of the house will be left when we're finished, will it be worth the work?

Based on what I see in your pictures, I believe that much of the house will "remain."
What is your approximate budget?

Kitchen, bathroom, windows (waterborne heating) are large items, but material costs generally account for about 30% of the total if you hire a construction company.
A tight timeline increases costs.

If you can do certain tasks yourself or gradually with friends, you "save" enormously.